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Explore the Vietnam War's timeline from the Domino Theory to the war's end, including key figures like Ho Chi Minh and military tactics like guerilla warfare. Understand the era of protests, leadership changes, and the war's lasting impact on both Vietnam and the United States.
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All you need to know about the VIETNAM WAR for the TAKS test
Background • Domino Theory • Under Chinese & French authority • Vietminh • League for the Independence of Vietnam • Led by Ho Chi Minh • 1954 – freed from France & “temp” divided • 1957 – “civil war” begins • US helps the South
Early US Involvement • JFK, 1960 – tough on Communism • By 1963 • 16k military advisors • Other aid, all squandered • S. Vietnam’s leadership grows unpopular • US-supported coup
LBJ’s Role • JFK shot 3 weeks after coup LBJ • Vietcong • Communist guerillas in S. Vietnam • National Liberation Front • LBJ decides to escalate the war • Gulf of Tonkin Incident • Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
Military Tactics • VC • sneak attacks, sabotage, booby traps • guerilla warfare, snipers, elaborate underground tunnels, undercover VC • US • Saturation bombing / fragmentation bombing • Herbicide (Agent Orange) • Napalm
Johnson’s Escalation • Landslide victory in 1964 • 1965 troop buildup • 25,000 at beginning of year • 184,000 at end of year • Operation Rolling Thunder • 3 years of continual bombing • Hawks & doves criticize back in US
Massacres • US troop presence • 385,000 (1966) • 485,000 (1967) • 536,000 (1968) • Tet Offensive • VC atrocities • US atrocities (My Lai) • Outcome*
Era of Protests • Students involved • Free speech • Teach-ins • Draftresistance
Change in Leadership • LBJ, no. RFK, yes. Well, no. • Richard Nixon wins 1968 election. • Democrats stay home on Election Day.
End of the War • Nixon widens thewar (Cambodia) • More demonstrations • Kent State,Jackson State,NYC construction • 1972 • Peace announced • Election • 1973 – peace realized
Results of the War • Fighting continued for 2 more years • Initial domino effect • Khmer Rouge • Vietnam • US effects • Casualties & money spent • Welcome home (Sanitarium) • Vietnam Memorial (1982)
Inside Tuol Sleng prison: once a notorious Khmer Rouge torture centre, the prison was turned into a genocide museum in 1980. The photo shows a wheelchair-using survivor of the Khmer Rouge silhouetted against an English translation of the prison’s draconian ‘security regulations’. The regulations were posted on small pieces of board in each cell. Photo: Dave Perkins / Globalaware